The entire country faces further snow, freezing winds and frosts lasting into the middle of next week.

The Met Office extended its severe weather warning until at least Monday. It warned more snow will fall with roads and pavements turning lethal.

Forecaster Charlie Powell said: “Saying there is an ice risk almost everywhere sounds over the top, but there is, and it will continue well into next week as lying snow thaws and refreezes.

“The ice risk is the worst this winter and more widespread ice than last winter. Road users and pedestrians should take extra care.

“We’re expecting more snow on Monday and Tuesday in the East, with a greater snow risk later next week.”

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, said the dire weather could last another week with more heavy snow on the way.

He said: “Whatever snow is already on the ground will be added to and there is the added risk that as temperatures fall it will freeze over.

“It is looking like a total nightmare for at least the next seven days.”

The extreme weather sparked panic buying around the country as people rushed to supermarkets to stock up on winter essentials.

In South Wales – where a rare Met Office red warning was in place – customers were spotted “scrumming” to grab milk and loaves of bread with shelves being stripped in the rush.

Shopper Rhiannon Griffiths, 38, said: “It was a real scrum – people were grabbing loaves and milk and dashing to the tills. I managed to get two small loaves and some pitta bread. It was all that was left.”

Tesco produce buyer Steve Williams said: “It looks like many people will be eating stews, casseroles and soups over the next few days to keep the cold at bay.

“We are currently seeing very high demand for root vegetables which suggest that people will be making large pots of stew to keep them going for a few days.”

Leon Brown, meteorologist for the Weather Channel, said the mercury could plunge as low as -20C (-4F).

He said further snow over the weekend could see another four inches fall in parts with the East, London and Midlands most at risk.

He said: “It is possible temperatures will fall to -15C or -20C in Mid Wales, the Midlands and the Highlands of Scotland. Temperatures early next week will not rise much above zero.”

Yesterday saw the heaviest snow for 22 years trigger power cuts and travel mayhem forcing millions to stay off work and school.

The Met Office said more than 10 inches fell by noon in Mid Wales, with six inches in Devon, five inches in Bristol and more than two inches in London.

Parts of the West Midlands suffered the heaviest snowfall since 1990 with Coventry braced for another five inches this morning.

More than a million pupils, students and workers had the day off as thousands of schools, offices, factories and courts closed.

In South Wales, 10,000 homes were left without electricity after snow brought down power lines.

Emergency services expected up to 32,000 vehicle breakdowns by the end of yesterday – with the AA called to 200 motorists stranded in snow.

Saying there is an ice risk almost everywhere sounds over the top

Forecaster Charlie Powell

Darron Burness, head of special operations, said: “We’ve had reports of journeys taking three or four times longer than usual.”

Motorists faced huge delays on major roads across the country including the M4, M5 and M50.

The M48 Severn Bridge crossing was closed. On the A37 in Bristol traffic queued for six hours while a 15-mile jam grew on the A27 from Portsmouth to Chichester.